Known good copy of Windows + cheap Chinese 8" tablet?
March 30, 2015 2:43 PM Subscribe
I have a Teclast x80h tablet (based on x86 hardware) that is running a Windows 8.1 build that the OEM installed. I'd like to reinstall Windows using media downloaded from Microsoft (or similar known-good channels), preferably without buying a new license. Is this possible?
The tablet basically acts like any other x86 machine I've worked with. If you plug a keyboard in, it's easy to get to the BIOS, boot from USB, etc. The actual act of installing Windows from USB isn't really the problem... I'm more concerned about licensing. Because this machine has a screen smaller than 9", the windows license is free (and I'd like it to stay that way).
Is there a place where I can download known-good Windows images that will install and activate with my existing OEM-supplied license and key?
The tablet basically acts like any other x86 machine I've worked with. If you plug a keyboard in, it's easy to get to the BIOS, boot from USB, etc. The actual act of installing Windows from USB isn't really the problem... I'm more concerned about licensing. Because this machine has a screen smaller than 9", the windows license is free (and I'd like it to stay that way).
Is there a place where I can download known-good Windows images that will install and activate with my existing OEM-supplied license and key?
A word of caution; OEM license keys that you'd get using a keyfinder program often can't be used to activate Windows, as Windows is usually pre-activated on those machines. You'd either need to have a separate license key (e.g. one that was printed on a sticker on the device), or make sure that the chipset can auto-activate Windows (UEFI-based devices should all be able to activate this way). Also, on devices with limited storage space (32GB or less, I think), OEMs can compress Windows so that you have some storage space left over. On such devices, you won't be able to install a normal version of Windows.
If it were me, I'd probably put up with the OEM copy of Windows. Feels risky to do otherwise.
posted by Aleyn at 3:50 PM on March 30, 2015
If it were me, I'd probably put up with the OEM copy of Windows. Feels risky to do otherwise.
posted by Aleyn at 3:50 PM on March 30, 2015
Best answer: Nah.
I mean i could elaborate but, you don't want to try.
It's sort of a triple threat issue. And i've hacked around with newer windows tablets like this, and almost bought a teclast x98 II
1. teclasts drivers are a nightmare. the only way to get them at all, or get the "good" versions is from random google drive shares and uploads by people on forums like slickdeals and XDA. Most of the time, the only REALLY good versions come in the OEM images or are extracted from them. This especially applies to stuff like the touch screen and cameras. The good ones come baked in to the image, or in simple updates they add which will include some new drivers but not the old already good ones which are going to be extremely hard to find.
2. getting this to work in practice with the stored key is a huge pain even on machines like the venue 8 pro where it's made by an above board well known company, officially sold here, etc. it took people quite a while to work out how to do that and dell had similar issues with drivers at first. this only got figured out because it was a super popular, US market product that tons of nerdy people bought to hack on. I've even had huge problems with this on just regular HP laptops and stuff.
3. it seems like sometimes these kinds of systems do NOT have the key stored, or if they do its in some non standard way. a regular image just wouldn't see it. it also may only be licensed for "8.1 + bing" and just not get detected by the normal version, which was true of the other teclast tablet. Even ignoring the auto-activation woes, it might be pre-activated in a way that would be extremely hard to replicate or manually achieve(i realize this is sort of what Aleyn said, but...)
i would probably still try this because i'm a glutton for punishment, but i'd do something like make a clonezilla/ghost/etc image of the entire "drive" before i tried anything AND the first thing i'd try would probably be just restoring that image.
Another point is that unlike the x98 air, the x80 is basically unknown in the english speaking world. There aren't even a bunch of threads to go mine... in english at least.
It's worth noting i ebayed my venue 8 because i nuked my OEM image, accidentally nuked my backup of it, and it was just such a pain in the ass that i didn't want to deal with it. And i yawn and power through almost anything. Windows 8 can be uniquely annoying as hell with a clean install, and on tablets like this it's somehow even more annoying.
So yea, not only would i not do this, i'd make a bitwise copy of the entire drive and bury it in the indiana jones warehouse for safe keeping.
posted by emptythought at 2:48 AM on March 31, 2015
I mean i could elaborate but, you don't want to try.
It's sort of a triple threat issue. And i've hacked around with newer windows tablets like this, and almost bought a teclast x98 II
1. teclasts drivers are a nightmare. the only way to get them at all, or get the "good" versions is from random google drive shares and uploads by people on forums like slickdeals and XDA. Most of the time, the only REALLY good versions come in the OEM images or are extracted from them. This especially applies to stuff like the touch screen and cameras. The good ones come baked in to the image, or in simple updates they add which will include some new drivers but not the old already good ones which are going to be extremely hard to find.
2. getting this to work in practice with the stored key is a huge pain even on machines like the venue 8 pro where it's made by an above board well known company, officially sold here, etc. it took people quite a while to work out how to do that and dell had similar issues with drivers at first. this only got figured out because it was a super popular, US market product that tons of nerdy people bought to hack on. I've even had huge problems with this on just regular HP laptops and stuff.
3. it seems like sometimes these kinds of systems do NOT have the key stored, or if they do its in some non standard way. a regular image just wouldn't see it. it also may only be licensed for "8.1 + bing" and just not get detected by the normal version, which was true of the other teclast tablet. Even ignoring the auto-activation woes, it might be pre-activated in a way that would be extremely hard to replicate or manually achieve(i realize this is sort of what Aleyn said, but...)
i would probably still try this because i'm a glutton for punishment, but i'd do something like make a clonezilla/ghost/etc image of the entire "drive" before i tried anything AND the first thing i'd try would probably be just restoring that image.
Another point is that unlike the x98 air, the x80 is basically unknown in the english speaking world. There aren't even a bunch of threads to go mine... in english at least.
It's worth noting i ebayed my venue 8 because i nuked my OEM image, accidentally nuked my backup of it, and it was just such a pain in the ass that i didn't want to deal with it. And i yawn and power through almost anything. Windows 8 can be uniquely annoying as hell with a clean install, and on tablets like this it's somehow even more annoying.
So yea, not only would i not do this, i'd make a bitwise copy of the entire drive and bury it in the indiana jones warehouse for safe keeping.
posted by emptythought at 2:48 AM on March 31, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by wotsac at 3:32 PM on March 30, 2015